This is one of those blog posts that I am putting up as a resource for the internet. Here's the story: I have been listening to the same playlist on my iPod for about 2 years when I walk for exercise, because I never bothered to find other music at the right tempo. Cut to a day about a year ago, when this post-doc came into a class we had together all excited, because she had found a website that would make playlists for running at a certain tempo. Well, I tried to find the same thing for walking and really came up short. I found a couple of blog posts about walking mixes here and here and somewhere else that I can't find again, but they weren't enough of the right speed and the types of music that I like. I also found instructions on how to get a software program to calculate the tempo for you, but if you use iTunes, it is kind of an annoying process to use MixMeister or to download software that won't work for every song in your library like beaTunes. So, I resorted to the old fashioned way of getting a bpm count for songs in my iTunes library.
Here's what I did: I took 3 songs that were the "perfect" pace on my original walking mix, I calculated the beats per minute (bpm) by listening to the song and tapping a key to the beat using this great website. And lo' and behold, they were 125, 126 and 127 bpm. I also calculated that one song that was almost too fast for me was 138. And thus, my range was born. 120-124 for slightly slower. 125-127 for perfect. 128-130ish for really-cooking power-walking.
And now, the list. It is huge. But I am typing it out here for posterity. And in case anyone comes along looking for songs for walking at a certain bpm rate/tempo. (like I had done, using google)
Warm-up and cool-down songs that I just like even though they are slow - very random/mostly new, or really old songs that I've always liked:
80 Celine Dion - Taking Chances
90 Marie Digby - Say It Again
90 One Republic - Stop and Stare
92 Crowded House - Better Be Home Soon
103 Rascal Flatts - Life Is a Highway
109 10,000 Maniacs - These Are the Days
110 Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
115 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - I Won't Back Down
117 Crowded House - Something So Strong
118 Steve Winwood - Roll With It
Moving into songs that are a tad slow, but good for variation:
120 Elton John - Sad Songs Say So Much
120 Five for Fighting - 100 Years
120 Maroon 5 - Not Falling Apart
120 Sheryl Crow - Soak Up the Sun
121 Bob Seger - Night Moves
121 Corrs - Even If
121 Corrs - Radio
121 Dixie Chicks - I Can Love You Much Better
121 INXS - Suicide Blong
121 Shania Twain - When
121 Sting - Fortress Around Your Heart
122 Corrs - Summer Sunshine
122 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary
122 Dixie Chicks - If I Fall, You're Going Down With Me
122 Dixie Chicks - Tonight the Heartache Is On Me
122 Electric Light Orchestra - Livin' Thing
122 Gladys Knight - I Got To Use My Imagination
122 Phil Collins - Sussudio
123 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop the Rain
123 Depeche Mode - World In My Eyes
123 Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl
123 Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
123 Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop
123 John Cougar - China Girl
123 Shania Twain - Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)
123 The Beatles - Get Back
124 Bob Seger - Old Time Rock and Roll
124 Dixie Chicks - Tortured, Tangled Hearts
124 Faith Hill - If My Heart Had Wings
124 Martina McBride - Love's the Only House
124 Shania Twain - Love Gets Me Every Time
124 Shania Twain - I'm Gonna Getcha Good
Getting into the best paced songs for my walking speed (14.5 to 15 minutes per mile)
125 Commitments - Bye Bye Baby
125 Good Charlotte - I Don't Wanna Be In Love <-- one of my new favorite songs
125 Harry Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin'
125 John Mellencamp - Rain On the Scarecrow
125 Shania Twain - Man, I Feel Like a Woman ** This was one of the original songs **
125 Shania Twain - Up! **This was one of the original songs**
126 Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice
126 Corrs - Dreams
126 Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself
126 Gary Numan - Cars
126 John Mellencamp - I Need a Lover
126 Kelly Clarkson - Gone
126 Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head
126 R.E.M. - Losing My Religion
126 Shania Twain - That Don't Impress Me Much
126 The Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn! (There Is a Season)
127 Commitments - Take Me To the River
127 Corrs - Irresistible
127 Corrs - Breathless **This was one of the original songs**
127 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lodi
127 Dixie Chicks - There's Your Trouble
127 Phil Collins - Both Sides Of the Story
127 Sting - All This Time
127 Supremes - Come See About Me
127 Train - Respect
Crankin' On
128 Christina Aguilera - Ain't No Other Man
128 Corrs - Angel
128 Fleetwood Mac - Say You Love Me
128 Huey Lewis & The News - She's Some Kind Of Wonderful
128 R.E.M. - The One I Love
128 Sheryl Crow - A Change Would Do You Good
129 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Up Around the Bend
129 Cranberries - Dreams
129 Ongo Bongo (wasn't this Oingo Boingo?) - Weird Science
129 Shania Twain - Rock This Country
129 Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra
129 Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
129 Three Dog Night - Joy To the World
130 Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus
130 Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
130 Fleetwood Mac - You Make Loving Fun
130 Genesis - Invisible Touch
130 John Mellencamp - Shy
130 John Mellencamp - Rumble Seat
130 Martina McBride - Safe In the Arms Of Love
130 Shania Twain - In My Car (I'll Be the Driver)
131 Coldplay - Clocks
131 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
131 Ronettes - Be My Baby
131 Rooftop Singers - Walk Right In
131 The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
132 Doobie Brothers - It Keeps You Running
132 Elton John - Philadelphia Freedom
132 Erasure - Breath of Life
132 Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup
132 Psychedelic Furs - Pretty In Pink
132 Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
133 B-52's - Love Shack
133 Elton John - Don't Go Breaking My Heart
138 Shania Twain - What a Way to Want To Be **This was the original crankin' along song**
So there you have it. A sampling of my music tastes. Or at least, the ones that are the 'right' tempo for walking.
Posted by danielle at 01:21 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
Yesterday morning, I spent some time sitting in the sun and singing to music.
Mom actually took this picture of me today, but replace the laptop with my journal, and you can imagine about what I looked like yesterday.
Yesterday, I started off my music listening with Ginny Owens - Without Condition. Her music really speaks to me at a very deep, faith-based level. And better yet, we both have a similar range, so I can sing almost all of the songs without straining at all.
Next, I sang along to a compilation CD that we used for practicing when I was in the Praise Chorus at my church back in MA. I jotted down the titles of the songs and some of the lyrics in my journal.
I attached a beeded bookmark to my journal that I made as my craft project at my church's Women's Retreat a couple of years ago.
I like how the rays of the sun shining through the beeds refracted and also created interesting shadows.
I am not quite up to full-blown storytelling yet, but I wanted to share some of the other pictures I've taken lately.
Mom gave me this angel and I hung it up in the window yesterday.
This morning, HB left before sunrise, and he looked pretty sharp and sexy with his blue shirt, red tie and matching cufflinks, chunky watch, and live strong bracelet.
And the sunrise this morning, was comforting.
Mom and I are going to go for a walk today, but right now, I'm enjoying the sun on my face and legs and am listening to Joshua Kadison's album.
Posted by danielle at 09:17 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
(music stuck in my head) What wondrous love is this, oh my soul, oh my soul.
Posted by danielle at 10:48 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
I woke up with this phrase stuck in my head
And I
don't wanna be a flame,
I wanna be a raging fire
It is a line from the song by Ginny Owens, I Wanna Be Moved (2nd track on the Without Condition album).
I am currently infatuated with Ginny Owens, after a friend loaned me a couple of her albums last Sunday.
I am definitely putting these on my birthday wish list. She reminds me most of Dar Williams, but if that name doesn't ring a bell, I guess she has a style that reminds me of Sarah McLachlin and maybe a less angry version of Alanis Morissette. I've seen her compared to Tori Amos, but I don't know Tori Amos's work well enough to comment on that.
I also keep listening to track 7 - I Am Nothing - which has the following line:
If I do not love, I am nothing
And track 8 - Springs of Life
Rain down Your love upon me
Pour out Your mercy on me
Please won't You take me to Your springs of life
Posted by danielle at 11:15 AM
I woke up this morning with Long Time Gone running around my head. So when I got in my car, I put in the Dixie Chicks - Home for my soundtrack to my drive into Boston today. Yup, you heard me right. Alllllllllll the way in today. Not just my little happy drive to the train station.
Anyway, not to get side-tracked by an almost-tangent.
It is such a good album. Long Time Gone is now competing in my head with Travelin' Soldier, A Home, and I Believe in Love.
Cue the Casey Kasem voice:
"And now, a dedication going out to HB. Danielle wants to tell you congratulations on your job promotion, HB. Here's I Believe in Love by the Dixie Chicks."
Love that's real.
Love that's strong.
Love that lifts
on and on.
Yes, I Believe in Love.
We have an exciting year ahead of us.
Posted by danielle at 07:11 AM | Comments (3)
This morning, I woke up with Pour Some Sugar On Me running through my head. And I thought, "That's odd. I don't remember hearing it lately." You see, usually the stuck songs are ones I've heard recently.
So, I get in my car and my CD from last night comes on. (I was bad and left my stereo on when I turned my car off, don't scold me if you read this, Dad). And the end of a Jimmy Buffet song is playing... Margaritaville. Seems fitting for a friday!!! hmmm?
And lo' and behold! the very next song on my mix CD is Pour Some Sugar On Me. HA! I guess my brain was ready for the next song when I got up, even if I haven't heard that CD since sometime before Christmas.
mind like a sieve I tell you! oH wait, steel trap.
yeah... that's it.
;)
But now, I've got Information Society - Pure Energy running around.
I wanna know, what you're thinkin'.
There are some things you can't hide.
I wanna know, what you're feelin'.
Tell me what's on your mind.
Pure Energy.
The irony of that particular set of lyrics, does not escape me. Believe me. There are many levels to this one.
blogging... comments... HB and me...
I think I prefer Pure Energy to Pour Some Sugar On Me. Although PSSOM reminds me of my friend from my growing-up years. Another D. Hi D, if you are out there! She is the one who introduced me to Def Leppard.
Posted by danielle at 07:12 AM | Comments (2)
Because of a certain picture and comment thread I was reading before I went to bed last night, I awoke with this high pitched female voice singing "Everybody dance now!"
in my head.
Which sequed into "Jump totherhythm jumpjump totherhythm JUMP" and "Gonna make you sweat til yo bleed"
erg.
So, I invited Shakira on over to shimmy those dancin' 80's fools out of my head.
whew!
close call on that.
and here is a special line from "Whenever, Wherever" for a friend who introduced me to the joy of Shakira (you know who you are, D)
Lucky that my lips not only mumble, they spill kisses like a fountain.
Lucky that my breasts are small and humble, so you don't confuse them
with mountains.
grin
Posted by danielle at 08:57 AM
I'm feeling chatty today now that I took a nap and am done being depressed. I probably won't feel this chatty once the work-week is underway, so I'm taking advantage of my energy now.
As long as I can remember, I've had music running through my head. In all moments when I'm not actively talking/listening/learning I hear songs in my head. Even now, while I'm writing I have snippets of a song in my head. When I've mentioned this phenomenon to people in choir, everyone tells me it is what happens to them too. And I have always assumed that most people have music running through their heads, because of the phrase "I've had that song stuck in my head all day!"
But since it isn't exactly the sort of thing people talk about much, I don't really know.
Do you hear music all of the time?
But a funny and semi-scary thing happened in December when I began planning my weblog;
the
music
went
away.
poof!
Phrases and paragraphs took the place of the music. Ideas for pictures. The phrases that could accompany the pictures. Stories that may or may not be funny. or interesting. or on and on and on. words. words. words. I had to really concentrate if I wanted to hear music in my head and not words. But it wasn't the same, because the minute I stopped concentrating, the words would come back.
tangent alert
I read a book once where the main character was a writer, and the character talked about how she always had stories running through her head. When I read it, I wondered if that is what happens for most writers... that stories and phrases run through their heads instead of music.
end of tangent
I wondered if once I got my blog up and running that the music would come back.
All of yesterday I was waiting... waiting... nope. still words and phrases.
This morning though, voila! The music came back! And with a vengeance, lemme tell you. Usually, I have one song in my head when I wake up... then I hear some other song on my drive to the train station and that song becomes the one on endless repeat in my head... then sometimes I hear something else that is strong enough to bump it out... etc. and etc.
You get the idea.
Well, this morning I had 4 albums of Corrs songs running through my head. It was like they couldn't get themselves out fast enough!
Queen Of Hollywood ... Runaway ... Love to Love You ... Summer Sunshine ... Angel ... the instrumental pieces... and more and more and more...
Now, some of this was induced by the fact that I received 2 of their older albums as Christmas presents. And I've been trying to infuse them into my bloodstream lately by listening to them loudly and continuously every chance I get. But I haven't even listened to their 2 most recent albums lately, and pieces of those were popping in and out of my head too.
So, I'm thrilled that the music is back. And it is fitting that it is the Corrs. I love their music.
From left to right:
Forgiven, Not Forgotten
Talk On Corners
In Blue
Borrowed Heaven
Note: You are most likely to recognize Breathless from In Blue (track 1).
Posted by danielle at 04:33 PM | Comments (2)